Automobile signal device



April 3, 1934. Q GALL] I 1,953,107

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL DEVICE Filed May 9, 1931 'll lllll -llmlllllfl L- i It INVENTOR .5 LEON CLEMENT GALLI MM JfmJQAZ V6:

ATTORNEY Patented Apt. 3, 1934 STAT Atari FFiCE AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL DEVIGE Application May 9, 1931, Serial No. 536,180 in New Zealand June 25, 1930 2 Claims.

This invention relates to signals such as are given by the driver of a vehicle to indicate the direction in which he is about to proceed, or his intention to stop the vehicle.

Such signals, when given in the ordinary way by means of the drivers hand extended from the side of the vehicle, are by no means clearly discernible at night. 1

It is the object of the present invention however to provide means whereby this diiilculty may be overcome and whereby the driver may be enabled without difliculty or inconvenience, to give clear and unmistakable signals under such conditions.

In carrying this object into effect according to the present invention there is provided an electric lamp or lamps having means for attachment to the drivers hand and arm, the arrangement being such that the light will be displayed from Q; the back of the hand, either with orwithout a further display from the arm, the necessary wires connecting such lamp or lamps extending along the arm to connect with a source of current. The invention includes also further features disclosed in this specification.

In order that the nature of the invention and its construction may be clearly understood, it will now be fully described and explained with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Fig.1 is a perspective sketch illustrating in actual operation one preferred form of the invention,

Fig. 2 shows upon a somewhat larger scale the apparatus worn by the driver in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a plan wise view of the same,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the interior of the vehicle as in Fig. 1 illustrating means employed in connection with this form of the invention,

Fig. 5 is a similar view to that of Fig. 1 showing a modified form of the apparatus, and,

Fig. 6 is a section along the line VI-VI, Fig. 5.

The construction comprises a clip 1 of metal or other suitable material shaped to embrace the back of the hand 2 and securable thereon by suitable means adapted to pass across the palm of the hand to connect the two ends of the clip 1, such means consisting conveniently of a strap or band 3 of elastic or other flexible material which will cause no discomfort or inconvenience to the 'wearer in using his hand for ordinary driving purposes.

In the said clip 1 is provided a casing 4 adapted to contain an electric lamp or lamps 5 the light from which is adapted to issue through a suitable opening 6 glazed with mica or other suitable transparent material, while a reflector 7 (Fig. 6) is also preferably included in the casing to suitably direct the rays through the opening 6 as desired.

The said casing may also be formed at its upper or lower portion, or preferably at both upper and lower portions, with a further glazed opening or openings, as 8 through which the light may be displan ed when the hand is turned edge-wise with the palm in the horizontal plane.

Extending from the said clip 1 along the outer side of the arm as 9 is a member 10, preferably tubular to permit of wires as 11 and 12 connecting with the said lamp or lamps passing therethrough, such member 10 being formed, at or about the point corresponding with the wrist of the wearer, with an articulated joint 13 to permit free play of the hand.

If desired there may be provided upon the said member 10, at a suitable point upon its length beyond its said joint 13, a second lamp-casing 14 also preferably furnished with a reflector 15 and having, at its side remote from the arm, a glazed opening 16, through which the light from its contained lamp 1'7 may issue, while a further opening or openings as 13 may also be formed in the upper or lower side, or preferably both upper and lower sides of the casing to permit of the display of the light therethrough when the handis urned into the edge-wise position already referred to. 1

The said member 10 or its attached lamp-casing 14, if any, is provided with means whereby it may be readily attached in place upon the wearer's arm 9, such means consisting for example of a spring clip 19 as here shown, or a suitable band or strap adapted to embrace the arm.

In one form of the invention, as here shown in Figs. 1 to l inclusive, the necessary current for the lamp, or lamps 5 and 17 is obtained from a source carried upon the vehicle, as 20 and which source may, in the case of a motor car, or other vehicle provided with an electric lighting system, consist of a connection with such system, or a separate battery or other supply provided for the purpose.

In this form of the invention there will be pro vided and mounted stationarily upon the side of the vehicle 20 adjacent to the drivers seat, as 21 (Fig. i) and at the part at which his arm would naturally rest when signalling as for instance in a window-opening as 22, a pair of contacts as 23 and 24 connected electrically one with each of the leads of the aforementioned source of current upon the vehicle.

There are provided for attachment to the drivers arm a pair of contacts and 26 connected one with each of the wires 11 and 12, such contacts being adapted when the arm is resting in the signalling position above mentioned, to come into contact one with each of the stationary con-- tacts 23 and 24, thereby connecting the lamp or lamps 5 and 17 with the source of current upon the vehicle.

In the preferred form of the construction the means for mounting the contacts 25 and 26 consists of a band or spring-clip 2'7 adapted to embrace the arm 9 at the required part and upon which band or clip the said contacts are attached, with the provision of suitable insulating material in cases where the band or clip is of metal.

The necessary means for connecting the wires 11 and 12 to the contacts will preferably be of a detachable nature and may conveniently consist as here shown of spring clips as 23 and 23 adapted to be sprung transversely upon the clip or band 27 and received in transverse grooves in the contacts.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the current for the lamp or lamps, instead of being drawn from a source upon the vehicle, is provided from a battery carried upon the drivers arm 9.

In this case at the portion of the apparatus, at the side of the articulated joint 13 remote from the lamp casing i, there will be provided a casing 30 having a suitable band or clip 31 for attachment to the arm as in the case of the equivalent part 19 in the previously described form, such casing being adapted to contain a battery 32.

In the preferred form of the arrangement in the circuit connecting the terminals of the battery 32 with those of the lamp 5 are introduced contacts which operate to complete such circuit and so cause the lamp to light only when the hand is flexed rearwardly upon the wrist and so produces a corresponding turning of the articulated joint 13.

In the form here shown this may be accomplished by arranging one terminal of the battery and one terminal of the lamp in permanent connection, as by earthing them to their respective casings, assuming of course that such cas ings and their connecting parts including the joint 13 are of metal, thus providing the equivalent of one of the aforementioned wires as 11.

To the other terminal of the lamp is connected the wire 12 which in this case extends past the joint 13 and terminates within the battery casing 30 where the end 12a of such wire protrudes slightly from the extremity of its insulating sheathing as here shown in Fig. 6.

Attached to the remaining terminal of the battery is a contact plate 33 with which the said protruding end of the wire is adapted to come in contact when a rearward turning upon the joint 13 occurs as here indicated in dotted lines Fig. 6, thereby completing the circuit.

If desired also similar contacts may be employed also in connection with the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, such contacts being arranged within a suitable formation of the member 10 adjacent to the joint 13.

In operation the device is such that it may be conveniently worn by the driver without discomfort when performing the ordinary operation of driving.

When a signal is to be given however the action of placing the arm in position, in the case of the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 4, or of flexing the hand back at the wrist in the case of the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6, will serve to cause the lamps to light and so illuminate the signal.

When the hand is in the vertical position, as in Fig. 1 the light from the openings 6 and 16 will be displayed rearwardly as for the information of following trafiic, while by turning the hand into an edgewise or horizontal position the light from the upper and lower openings 8 and 18 will be visible to traffic at both front and rear.

I claim:

1. Electric signalling means for use in connection with an automobile comprising a signal cas ing having a transparent cover, means for attaching the casing to the back of the wrist of the automobile drivers hand, an electric lamp mounted in the casing, an arm clip for embracing an arm of the driver, said clip carrying spaced contacts, co-operating spaced contacts mounted on a window frame of the automobile adapted to be engaged by the spaced contacts on the arm clip and conductor wires extending from the spaced contacts on the arm clip to the electric lamp in said casing, and a source of current connected to the spaced contacts on the window frame of the automobile.

2. Electric signalling means comprising a si nal casing having a cover provided with a signal opening, a lamp mounted in the signal casing, means for attaching the casing to the back of an automobile drivers hand, a circuit for said lamp including conductors leading into said casing, a conductor carrier through which said conductors are led, means for mounting said carrier on the back of the drivers forearm, means including an articulated joint for connecting the conductor carrier with the signal casing at the drivers wrist to permit free play of the hand, a second signal casing having a cover provided with a signal opening for cooperating with the first mentioned signal opening, means for mounting the second signal casing on the carrier, and a lamp mounted in said second mentioned signal casing, said lamp being included in the circuit of said first mentioned lamp.

LEON CLEMENT GALLI. 

